GovWire

Early education and childcare: operational guidance

This guidance sets out:

• what local authorities should do to fulfil their statutory responsibilities
• what early years settings should do to fulfil their agreement with the local authority
• how local authorities and early years settings can support parents and children

Local authorities can add their own information to the application form and use it for foster parents applying for 30 hours free childcare for children in foster care.

Statutory means what schools and local authorities must do to comply with the law. You should follow statutory responsibilities unless you have a very good reason not to.

Free early education for 2-year-olds from families with no recourse to public funds

This guidance explains how local authorities can verify a parents eligibility for a funded early education place for 2-year-olds from families with no recourse to public funds. It comes into effect from 1 September 2022.